Escape2Make aims to help 11-18s in the Lancaster and Morecambe area to escape from boredom, loneliness and any pressure at school or home by providing workshops and short courses hosted by businesses, artists and students. All of the courses are designed to help young people to build their confidence, whilst making a difference in their local communities.
Never before have young people so needed a service that enables them to escape the pressures of schoolwork, exams, home life, negative peer relationships and boredom. Never before has there been such a need to build interventions that help support poor mental health and wellbeing. Never before has there been so little available to address these needs.
Escape2Make (E2M) believes moving beyond the online world can promote emotional intelligence and empathy, and give space to explore and experiment so that young people can grow in confidence and resilience. E2M’s programmes also aim to support the growth of enterprising behaviour and attitudes, through active citizenship and meaningful youth-led projects.
E2M runs 15 creative projects for young people aged 11-18 over five weeks, ranging from baking and upcycling, through to music production and performance poetry. All of the projects result in youth-led events, including a mini Green Festival and cabaret.
As well as the 15 introductory projects, E2M aims to deliver more targeted support to the next generation of journalists, film makers, architects and conservationists. By delivering year-round activity to a smaller group of young people and by reaching those less advantaged, E2M aims to ignite the development of new skills, whilst providing an opportunity for young people to connect with like-minded peers.
The Foundation supported E2M to deliver its Press Club for children and young people. The club is run fortnightly and aims to give young people an understanding of career paths in this area, whilst developing new skills, confidence and friendships. Going forward, E2M aims to expand its offer, running 2 major projects each year as well as increasing its ongoing groups to 6 – including natural skills and yoga. E2M also seeks to explore the potential to expand and replicate its model into other parts of the country.
E2M takes us away from school pressures and gives us a balance
Colette, aged 17
